1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus which allows accounting with a high degree of flexibility, and an accounting system including a plurality of image processing apparatuses.
2. Description of the Related Art
There is a service which utilizes an image processing apparatus installed in a shop etc. and reads image data stored in the storage section of the image processing apparatus or in an external administration server to make output. In the accounting method for such services, a predetermined fee is set for each image data, and it is general to account the set fee to the user who makes output.
In addition, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2006-227703 discloses a service in which an accounting destination and an accounting method when output is made using an image processing apparatus are stored for each image data in an administration server, and when a user makes output of retained image data using the image processing apparatus, accounting is performed based on the accounting destination and the accounting method associated with the image data.
On the other hand, in the above described services, there are cases in which image data relating to complementary coupons such as a discount coupon or an invitation coupon is output. In such cases, a user may make output of the same image data multiple times.
For example, when the accounting relating to output of image data is set to be low, since accounting is performed at the set low value regardless of the number times for which output is made, single user may make print in a large amount. The situations in which image data is output are various, and there is a need for accounting which can flexibly cope with such situations.
Thus, in view of the above described problems, the present invention is directed to provide an image processing apparatus and an accounting system which can perform accounting with a high degree of flexibility in accounting for the output of image data.